Self-propelled roller skate



Nov. 17, 1936. c. STONE I SELF PROPELLED ROLLER SKATE Filed May 22, 1935 3 Shegts-Sheet 1 No v.17,1936. STONE 2,061,334

SELF PROPELLED ROLLER SKATE Filed May 22, 1935 s'sheets-sneet 2 Nov. 17, 1936. c. STONE 2,061,334

SELF PROPELLED ROLLER SKATE Filed May 22, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 3 8 3 v w 3 7 2 i w lIzV////////v Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED res n OFFICERS- 1 Claim.

the momentum thereof in excess of the actual energy exerted for each stroke.

Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide a roller skate having incorporated therein a certain mechanism arranged,

so that the top portion of the skate will pivot sufficiently by the skater elevating his heel, then placing his Weight upon the heel the rear end of the skate will rapidly descend and simultaneously rotate a gear, and with the aid of additional gears the rear axle of the skatewill be driven forward in a manner exceedingly a great-' er distance than the stroke of the plain roller skate. In other words the mere tilting action of the skaters feet is all the energy that is required to propel this skate, consequently the pleasure of skating is thereby greatly enhanced by the ease made possible by this invention.

During the course of the following detailed description it will become apparent that the invention possesses numerous advantages, illustrated throughout the accompanying drawings, and more fully pointed out in the appended claim.

With reference to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the complete skate.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the complete skate.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of a portion of the upper portion of the skate.

Figure 5 is a plan View of the principal mechanism of the device, and taken upon line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view upon line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section upon line 1'! of Figure 5, and showing free-wheeling unit of the device in the act of coasting.

Figure Sis a similar view to Figure *7, but showing the free-wheeling unit as driving the rear axle of the skate.

Figure 9 is a sectional view upon line 9- -9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a section upon line lll -lfl of Figure 6.

Figure 11 is also a section, andupon line- I l-'-l l of Figure 6. I

Figure 12 is an enlarged section upon line l2--l2 of Figure 2. p Y

Figure 13 is a horizontal section upon'line I3I3 of Figure 2. V 3 The invention has a principal frame consisting of front member I and rear member 2. Oneof said members overlaps the other and the'members are connected by screws 3, and by virtue of slot 4 in both members, the usual adjustment of the skate as to the length thereof is therebypresent as indicated, also toe clamps 5 with adjusting member 6 where shown.

For the accommodation of the gear mechanism of the device a subframe is employed and consists of front member I and rearmember 8, both of which are provided with elongated slot 9 and are connected by screws I!) so as to coact with the similar adjustment provided for the'principal frame members of the device.

The front end of the skate is carried upon roller I I with rubber tire l2, also ball bearing I3 as shown. Axle I4 is permanently fixed with spaced apart brackets 15 and said brackets are secured to member I by rivets I6. Roller H is further supported by opposed brackets l1, said brackets being secured to member I by rivets [8, all of which is clearly indicated in Figure 12.

The principal mechanism of the skate is positioned upon the rear portion thereof and is carried upon rollers l9 having rubber tire 20, and it is understood that member 8 of the subframe has an enlarged portion 2| formed upon both sides thereof so as to accommodate said rollers and mechanism, and forming a pair of spaced apart walls for this purpose.

Rear axle 22 is journaled in bearings 23 and said bearings are secured to hangers 24 respectively, and the hangers in turn are permanently connected to portion 2| of member 8 by screws 25 where indicated.

Ball bearings 23 for rear axle 22 are secured to respective hangers 24 by clamps 26 with screw 21 therefor as shown. Rollers 19 are permanently connected to axle 22 by rivets or keys 28, also gear 29 being keyed to said axle as at 30, and it is now understood that axle 22 is directly connected to the propelling mechanism, a further explanation of which follows.

Gear 3| is keyed to shaft 32 through hub 33 thereof and engages gear 29. Shaft 32 is journaled in bearings 34 which are permanently secured to portion 2| of member 8 as clearly indicated in Figure 9.

Gear 35 is keyed to shaft 36 and engages gear 3|, said shaft being journaled in bearings 31 which are permanently connected to portion 2| of member 8 where shown.

Gear 38 is also provided, and has the freewheeling. 39, inclosed thereinand is carried upon shaft 40'. Thesaid shaft 40 is journaled in bearings 4| which are secured to portion 2| of member 8. Gear 38 engages gear 35 as shown.

Gear 42 is keyed to shaft 4| and also engages vertically disposed rack 43, and this rack is adapted to slidably engage guide 44, said guide being an integral part of frame 45 and this frame being pivotally secured to portion 2| of member 8 by shouldered screws 46 as shown in Figure 5, with rack 43 being pivotally connected to member 2 as at 41. It is understood that rack 43 will always be directly in mesh with gear 42 and will be permitted; to, pivot sufficiently so as, to function properly during the operation of the device.

The customary heel plate 48 with strap 49 are present as in Figure 2.

The. complete details of construction having been fully explained in the preceding paragraphs, the exact operation and advantage thereof follows:-

Itv is understood that members and 2 are connected in a manner so that the principal frame is rigidat all times, and the foot of the skater being positioned: upon said member and by tilting saaneforwardlythe rear end of the skate will be elevated thenceby exerting a downward pressure upon his'heel rack 43 will be forced downward simultaneously, and inasmuch as said rack engagesgear 42 upon shaft 4|, and gear 38 having free-wheeling 39- therein and also being upon shaft 4l-,.will assume the position as in Figure 8, and through intermediate gears 3| and 35 gear 29 upon. axle 22, in all will drive rollers IQ forwardly consistent with the extent of the stroke of rack 43. As the heel of the skater is again elevated by tipping his foot forward, gear 38 will assume the position as in Figure '7, thus permitting the skate to coast forward independent of connection with the driving mechanism. A similar downward thrust is exerted upon rack 43 and the operation may be repeated in this manner as often as desired.

While a single roller is employed to carry the front end of the skate, two of such rollers may be substituted therefor if preferred without affecting the mechanism or operation of the device.

Other details of the invention are merely illustrative and are not necessarily confined to the specific elements and arrangement, dimensions and the like, should modification be required during any probable further development of the invention for the market.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is:

The combination with a roller skate having a principal adjustable frame, a subframe, the skate carried upon a front roller and a pair of rear rollers, said rear rollers having a common axle, means upon the front of said subframe and upon said principal frame 'for supporting said front roller, aforesaid subframebeing composed of a front member and a rearmember and means for connecting said members and adjusting same in coaction with the adjustment of the principal frame, a propelling mechanism, means upon said subframe for operatively supporting said mechanism, a free-wheeling gear and same keyed to a transverse shaft, said shaft journaled upon said subframe, said mechanism coacting with aforesaid axle and means whereby the downward thrust of the skaters heel upon the aforesaid principal frame will actuate said mechanism and drive the skate forwardly, and further means whereby the skate will coast during the upward movement of the last-named means as result of tilting the skaters heel upwardly.

CHARLES STONE. 

